Machine for forming sole-pieces



Y F. E. BERTRAND MACHINE FOR FORMING SOLE PIECES Filed July 1l, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet l Mmm@ 0120, 193m F. E. B'ERTRAND d 2,057,665"` MACHINE FORFORMING SOLE PIECES Fired July 11, 1934 3 sheets-sheet 2 aoY F. E. BERTRAND MACHINE FOR FORMING soLE PIECES Get. 20, 1936.

Filed July v11, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 J Waff /Nv/VTUR W Patented ct. 20, 1936 STZS ATENT FFME MACHINE FOR FRMING SOLE-PIECES Application July 11, 1934, Serial No. 734,650

18 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to means for forming sole-portions of shoes, it being especially concerned with the production, in a piece of solematerial, of the peripheral contours of both an outsole and an insole.

There is a recognize-d type of shoe in which an outsole and insole are produced by splitting an integral piece of sole-material into two layers. The particular forms given to these sole-pieces do not affect the present invention, except as to their peripheral contours. The insole should be smaller than the outsole in certain of its transverse dimensions, to give space to receive the counter and the upper-material so said upper-material shall not project over the outsole. The trimming away of the desired portions of the insole after its separation from the outsole is unsatisfactory, because it is relatively thin and flaccid and therefore difcult to form. It is an object of my invention 20 to so operate upon the sole-pieces that the chosen peripheral forms will be produced accurately, regardless of their thinness, and eflciently by relatively simple apparatus with a saving of time over the procedure previously indicated. 2 In the accomplishment of this Object, as a feature of the invention, combine in a novel manner with a plurality of patterns, as one for an outsole and one 'for an insole, a knife or cutter co-operating with each pattern, there being such relative movement between the knives and patterns as to carry the points of operation of the former about the latter, the knives having their cutting edges lying in planes corresponding to the peripheries of sole-pieces to be formed. Preferably the two patterns are relatively movable to clamp between them a sole-piece to be operated upon. In this way one knife under the guidance of its pattern may form the contour of the outsole, while another knife, similarly guided by its pattern, cuts in the comparatively stable compound sole-piece a contour to such a depth that a finished insole may be produced upon splitting the piece. Means associated with the insole-knife and contacting with the sole-piece over the outsole-portion thereof, may determine the extent to which said knife enters, this corresponding to the thickness of the insole. In the particular embodiment of the invention disclosed herein, a rotatable support associated with the patterns has mounted upon it a primary carrier, shown as a pivoted arm, there being movable on the primary carrer a secondary carrier, which may be a slide. These carriers are guided by the respective patterns and have knives by which the outsole and insole contours are cut. Adjustments are preferably provided for correctly positioning the secondary carrier with respect to its pattern and the knife upon the carrier. To hold the secondary carrier under the guidance of its pattern without tendency to displace the primary 5 carrier by the force exerted, means, as a spring, connects the support and the secondary carrier. This spring may extend from the pivot of the primary carrier or arm into co-operation with the secondary carrier or slide. The force exerted by this spring is preferabiy variable, to properly hold the secondary carrier to its pattern. To bring a knife, and especially that for cutting the insolecontour, into and out of operating relation, the carrier has a knife-mounting movable upon it. A member movable by the operator successively controls the shifting of the carrier and the mounting to bring the knife into engagement with the work and reverses this sequence to withdraw the knife. Such knife will thus arrive at and leave the line of its cut without interference with the material of the sole-piece outside said line.

As another feature, the invention furnishes means whereby two patterns, as those with which the outsoleand insole-cutting knives co-operate, may be brought to the proper peripheral relation. For this purpose, their transverse position is variable in directions substantially at right angles to each other. As herein illustrated. there is a pattern with which co-operates a pattern carried by a movable head. An adjusting member is variable in position upon the head and a pattern-support is variable in position upon the adjusting member and in a direction at an angle to that of said member. Thus, the periphery of the movable pattern may be accurately positioned with reference to that of the associated pattern.

The accompanying drawings show one of several forms which my invention may assume,

Fig. l being a partial top plan view thereof;

Fig. 2, an enlarged sectional detail on the line II-II of Fig. l;

Fig. 3, an enlarged top plan view of the elements more directly associated with the work;

Fig. 4, a front elevation of said elements;

Fig. 5, an end elevation looking from the right in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6, a broken side elevation of the patternsupports;

Fig. 7, a Vertical sectional detail illustrating the manner of engagement of the knives with the patterns and work;

Fig. 8, an enlarged broken elevation of the mounting for the insole-knife; and

Fig. 9, a horizontal section on the line IX-IX of Fig, 8.

The present machine may conveniently be based upon such an apparatus as that disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 832,009, Mayo, March 17, 1908. This, as shown herein, has spaced vertical posts I8, i@ (Figs. 4 and 6) rising from the frame of the machine, and serving to support an outsole-pattern ll guiding a knife I2 which is to cut a sheet of stock clamped upon the upper face of the pattern. The knife has imparted to it a compound movement of translation about the, pattern in a path approximating the contour of said pattern and is also caused to exactly follow such contour by being urged, as it travels, yieldably into co-operation with the pattern. The means for accomplishing this consists, as indicated in Fig. 1, of a rotatable supporting table Iii, a member I6 pivoted upon the table, a slide I8 movable upon the member, and an arm 20 fulcrumed at 22 upon the slide and carrying on its free extremity a holder 2li for the knife I2. The holder is maintained against the periphery of the pattern I I during the cutting operation by a spring 26 acting upon the arm 22 and contained within a casing 23 upon the slide I8. Cams (not illustrated) impart to the slide and to the member I 6 during the rotation of the table, movements which cause the knife to follow to some extent the contour of the pattern, departures therefrom being compensated for by the movement of the arm under the influence of the spring.

The above-indicated elements may be utilized, without substantial change, in carrying out the present invention. The material to be operated upon is a blank or sole-piece B of sufficient thickness to permit it to be divided into an outsole and an insole, and the blank is clamped in operating position upon the outsole-pattern I I by an insolepattern 30 carried by a vertically movable head 32, which may correspond to that holding the work-clamping plate of the previously mentioned patent. In the Linder side of the head are spaced transverse ways 31%, 35 (Fig. 6) in which move slides 3E secured adjustably to the head by slotand-screw connections 38 (Fig. 7). Extending along the under side of each slide, substantially at right angles to the ways Sli, is a groove 4i) re ceiving the cylindrical head of a stud 42. Each stud is threaded to receive an internally threaded sleeve dit, which may be turned up against a washer 46 surrounding the stud to thus clamp said stud in place in the groove. Each sleeve has formed upon its lower extremity a shoulder 48 against which the pattern 3S may abut, and below this shoulder a stud-end G enters one of two spaced openings in the pattern. The spacing of the stud-ends and openings may be such that the pattern is frictionally retained in place, and this effect may be increased, and application and removal of the pattern facilitated, by dividing one of the ends at 52 to furnish a slight yield of the pattern-engaging surface. By these connections to the head 32, the patterns may readily be changed and adjusted in all directions in a plane parallel to that of the outsole-pattern I I to bring the peripheries of the two patterns into exactly the desired relation.

To form in the sole-piece B a peripheral conteur of an insole corresponding yto that of the pattern Sil, and simultaneously with the rounding of the material to the outsole-contour by the knife I2, a knife 5d travels with the knife I 2, the cutting edges of the two knives being in substantially parallel planes. As far as the general path followed by the primary knife and its carrying arm 2B is concerned, that of the knife 5 is the same, but such knife is independently urged into co-operation with its pattern 3U. The arm 2B has Xed to its upper face a bracket 56. Rising from the bracket is a spindle 58, and secured about this is a guide member 68 which may be Xed at different angles in a horizontal direction by a set-screw 62. This allows the insole-knife 5d, for which the member 60 furnishes a portion of the mounting, to be arranged upon the bracket in the desired relation to the clamped work. A screw 64, threaded vertically through the guide member and capable of being turned into contact with the bracket, facilitates the vertical adjustment of these knifemounting elements. A stop 66 is shown as fastened to the bracket by a slot-and-screw connection 68 and engaging the guide member provides an abutment to resist displacement of said member under the operating stresses. Extending across the member 60 in the direction of the pattern 30 are ways l@ in which is movable a slide 12, which, as compared with the primary carryingarm 22 for the outsole-knife I2, may be considered as a secondary carrier for the insole-knife. At the forward extremity of the slide 'I2 is an upward extension 'i4 in which are vertical ways I5 to receive a slide 18. A horizontal arm 80 projects forward from the slide 'IS and has a vertical bore in which turns the cylindrical shank 82 of a holder 84 for the knife 52. A contact-surface upon the holder for engagement with the pattern may be furnished by a shim-piece 86 held in place by a screw 88. By using these pieces or shims of different thicknesses, the spacing of the knife 54 from the pattern 3i) may be altered. The extent to which the knife 54 enters the work may be determined by its relation to a contact-foot 96 secured in the holder with the knife and below which said knife projects. This foot contacts with the sole-piece outside the periphery of the insole-pattern 39. The holder has a clamping block 92 held against the shank of the knife and pressing this against the foot 9i? under the in-V uence of a screw 94. A pin 96 retains the foot against vertical movement upon the holder. A screw 38, threaded vertically through the shank 82 of the holder, aids the operator in locating the point of the knife in the chosen relation to the work-engaging end of the foot and therefore in determining the effective cutting length of the knife.

As the primary knife I2 is urged into its operating relation to the pattern II by the spring 26, so the knife 54 should be caused to similarly co-operate with the pattern 3D. Also, since it cuts downwardly into the stock, it should be forced yieldingly in this direction. To produce movement of the holder 8d causing the contact of its surface at 8E with the pattern 30, its slide 'i2 is forced inwardly along its ways I by a spring IUD. This spring is of the torsion-type and, as best shown in Figs. l and 2, surrounds at one extremity the pivot 22 of the carrier-arm 2l). At its opposite end, it presses against a contact-piece |02 set in the slide 'I2 and provided with a rounded depression to receive a contactball Ill movable upon the free arm of the spring |00. The force of the spring is thus applied to the slide with little lateral stress. To adjust the force exerted by the spring upon the slide, it is preferably joined at IGS (Fig. 2) to a collar M18 surrounding the pivot 22. The spring is maintained in place about the pivot by a fillersleeve IIB within it and by a collar H2 fixed 75 upon the pivot above the sleeve. By rotating the collar |08 clockwise, as viewed in Fig. l, the tension of the spring IIJ may be increased, and this adjustment maintained by a pin I I4 movable through an opening in the collar and engaging some one of a circumferential series of openings I I6 in an enlargement of the pivot 22. Since the reaction of the spring is wholly upon the slide I8 carrying the pivot 22, the carrier-arm 2B for the knife I2 is uneffected and there is no tendency to force said knife away from its pattern. The vertical yield of the knife 54 is against a spring |20, occupying a recess in the slide 'I8 and bearing at its upper extremity against a bar |22 secured to the extension 'I4 across the top of the ways 16.

In preparation for a rounding operation during the placing of a sole-piece between the patterns or applying different patterns, the primary and secondary forming instrumentalities are held in inactive positions away from the pattern-supports by a latch-lever |24 pivoted upon the means for communicating the force of the actuating spring 26 to the arm 2|! and engaging some one of a series of teeth |26 upon the slide I8. Since the insole-forming knife 54 in its operating position has its point below the upper face of the work-piece B, it must move into operating relation first above said face and in a direction substantially parallel thereto and then descend vertically into engagement with the work. Upon withdrawal, its movement must be reversed to free the knife from the surrounding material which will later be removed when the insole is divided from the outsole. To effect these movements of the knife 54 under the control of the operator, there is fulcrumed upon uprights |39 rising from the guide member 60 a hand-lever |32. A bell-crank-lever |34 is fulcr'umed at the under side of the carrier-slide 'I2 and has a forwardly-extending arm |36 curving up at its end into contact with the lower surface of the vertical slide I8. A second arm |38 of the bellcrank-lever passes through an opening in the carrier-slide 'i2 and is joined to the hand-lever above its fulcrum by a link |40. Inward movement of the lever |34 about its fulcrum is limited by engagement of the arm |38 at I4I with the slide-extension 14. Fig. 4 of the drawings shows the knife 54 in its active position, in which it penetrates the stock.. Remembering that outward movement of the slide I2 is resisted by the spring |48, the first movement of the lever |32 to the right swings the lever |34 correspondingly, causing the arm |38 to elevate the slide 18. This lifts the knife 54 clear of the upper face of the sole-piece. Further upward movement of the slide being stopped by the resistance offered by the spring |23, continued oscillation of the lever |32 acts upon the lever |34 to move it bodily to the right and thus draw the slide 'I2 outwardly from the pattern. When the connection of the link |43 to the lever |34 passes below the fulorum of said lever, all the controlling elements for the knife 54 are locked against the force of the springs with the knife wholly clear of the sole-piece. When the lever |32 is swung to the left to permit the knife 54 to assume its active relation, the sequence of operations is reversed, the slide l2 being first permitted to move in under the influence of the spring IGS, and then, when its travel has been arrested by contact of the holder-surface at 83 with the pattern 30, the slide 'I8 is freed by the lever-arm |36 and the knife 54 forced into the work by the spring |26.

In using the apparatus to produce in a solepiece B the combined peripheral contours of an insole and an outsole, with the primary carrierarm 2|) and the secondary carrier-slide 12 held inactive by their controlling levers |24 and 532, an appropriate outsole-pattern II and an insole-pattern 30 are applied to the supports I0 and 42, respectively, adjusted by the sliding elements 36 and 42 to bring the pattern peripheries into the proper relation, and the piece clamped between them by lowering the head 32. The thickness which the insole will have is determined by adjusting the knife 54 with respect to the contact-foot 95 through the screws 94 and 38 and the clearance between the knife 54 and the pattern by the application of a shim 86 of the correct thickness. With the work-piece in place, the latching lever |24 is first released, so the knife I2 is carried into co-operation with the pattern by its spring 25. Then the lever |32 is thrown to permit the successive inward and downward movement of the holder 84 under the influence of the springs IIID and |20 into engagement with the pattern 38 and with the knife 54 urged into the sole-piece. Upon starting the apparatus, the two knives are carried about their patterns actuated by the elements I4, I6, and I8 so the complete contours of an outsole and insole are formed, the excess material outside the outsole being removed by the knife I2, while the knife 54 leaves the corresponding material outside its cut to be disposed of when the two soleportions are separated by splitting. rihe cuts being completed, opposite manipulation of the lever |32 separates the knife 54 from the stock in the proper upward and outward directions, and withdrawal and latching of the arm 24 and its knife I2 and the removal of the formed solepiece from between the patterns restores the apparatus to its normal condition.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. In combination, two patterns co-operating with a work-piece, a movable support, an arm pivoted upon the support, a knife carried by the arm and guided by one pattern, a guide member mounted upon the arm, means arranged to fix the guide member in different angular positions upon the arm, a slide movable upon the guide member, and a knife carried by the slide and guided by the other pattern.

2. In combination, two patterns for co-operation with a work-piece, a movable support, an arm pivoted upon the support, a knife carried by the arm and guided by one pattern, a guide member mounted upon the arm, means arranged to fix the guide member different distances from the arm, a slide movable upon the guide member, and a knife carried by the slide and guided by the other pattern.

3. In combination, a pattern, a member traveling about the pattern, a guide member, means arranged to fix the guide member in different angular positions upon the traveling member, an adjusting screw threaded through the guide member and engaging the traveling member, a slide movable upon the guide member, and a knife carried by the slide and guided by the pattern.

4. In combination, a pattern, a guide member traveling about the pattern, a. slide movable upon the guide member, a second slide movable upon the first-mentioned slide, and a knife carried by the second slide and guided by the pattern.

5. In combination, a pattern, a guide member traveling about the pattern, a slide movable upon the guide member, a second slide movable upon the first-mentioned slide, a knife carried by the second slide and guided by the pattern, a spring urging the first-mentioned slide toward the pattern, and a spring urging the second slide with the knife toward the Work.

6. In combination, two patterns, a traveling support, a primary knife-carrier movable upon the support and guided by one pattern, a secondary knife-carrier movable upon the primary carrier, and means connecting the support and secondary carrier forv holding said secondary carrier under the guidance of the other pattern.

7. In combination, two patterns, a rotatable support, a knife-arm pivoted to the support and guided by one pattern, a knife-carrier movable upon the arm and co-operating with theother pattern, and a spring extending between the p-ivot of the arm and the knife-carrier and urging said carrier toward the other pattern.

8. In combination, two patterns, a rotatable support, a knife-arm pivoted to the support and guided by one pattern, a knife-carrier movable upon the arm and co-operating with the other pattern, a spring extending between the pivot of the arm and the knife-carrier and urging said carrier toward the other pattern, and means arranged toI vary the force exerted by the spring.

9. In combination, two patterns, a rotatable support, a knife-arm pivoted to the sup-port and guided by one pattern, a slide movable upon the arm, a knife mounted upon the slide, and a spring connected to the pivot of the arm and exerting its force upon the slide to urge it toward the other pattern.

10. In combination, a pattern, a carrier traveling about the pattern, a knife-mounting movable upon the carrier, a knife carried by the mounting, means acting upon the carrier and mounting to urge the knife to an active position, and a member movable to control successively the shifting of the carrier and mounting to bring the knife into engagement with the work.

11. In combination, a pattern, a carrier traveling about the pattern, a knife-mounting movable upon the carrier, a knife carried by the mounting, means acting upon the carrier and mounting to urge the knife to an active position, and a member movable to control successively the shifting of the carrier and mounting to bring the knife into engagement with the work, said member upon reverse movement withdrawing the mounting and knife from the work and then shifting the carrier 'to its inactive position.

- vl2. Ina machine for cutting sole-pieces, a pat'- tern, a carrier movable in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the pattern, a knifemounting movable upon the carrier toward and from the plane o-f the pattern, means acting upon the carrier and mounting to urge the knife to an active position, and a member movable by the operator to control successively the sluiting of the carrier and mounting.

13Y In combination, a pattern, a guide member traveling about the pattern, a slide movable upon the guide member, a second slide movable upon the rst-mentioned slide, a knife carried by the second slide and guided by the pattern, a lever fulcrumed upon the guide member, and connections to the lever for moving both slides.

14. In combination, a pattern, a guide member traveling about the pattern, a slide movable upon the guide member, a second slide movable upon the first-mentioned slide, a knife carried by the second slide and guided by the pattern, a lever fulcrumed upon the guide member, a level fulcrumed upon the first-mentioned slide and having a portion engaging the second slide, and a link joining the two levers.

15. In a machine for cutting sole-pieces, a pattern, a carrier movable about the pattern, a knifeholder movable upon the carrier, a knife and a gage member mounted together in the holder, a screw threaded through the holder and engaging the knife to cause its movement, and means common to the knife and gage member for clamping them in position in the holder.

16. "In a machine for cutting sole-pieces, a pattern, a carrier movable upon the pattern, a knifeholder having a shank rotatable in the carrier, a knife and a gage member mounted together in the holder, a screw threaded through the shank and engaging the knife, and means for clamping the knife and gage member in position in the holder.

17. In a machine for cutting sole-pieces, opposed patterns relatively movable to clamp a solepiece between them, means arranged to vary the relative transverse position of the patterns in directions substantially at right angles to each other, and a knife co-operating with each pattern.

18. In a machine for cutting sole-pieces, opposed patterns relatively movable to clamp a solepiece between them, a mounting for one pattern, a head movable toward and from said mounting, an adjusting member variable in position in the head, a pattern-support variable in position upon the adjusting member in a direction at an angle to the movement of the adjusting member, and a knife co-operating with each pattern.

FREDERIC E. BERTRAND. 

